Chapter 1-3 of Woolfolk

In chapter one, we talked about educational psychology. Educational psychology is "the discipline concerned with reaching and leaning processes: applies the methods and theories of psychology and has its own as well" (p. 14). I know, as a teacher, I will have to know the way a student works. Understanding how their development and thinking work. I will need to know how my way of teaching affects my students. These effects could simply be the environment of the classroom. Is the classroom too noisy, is there too much movement, and are there things that will distract my students. As a future music teacher in the elementary setting, understanding their development is important. Bright shiny instruments might not be as distracting to the older kids, but could be really districting to first graders. Even kindergartens are still learning the world around them. This leads to them wanting to touch everything insight to see what does it do and why is it important to them. They are also still learning, maybe, about following directions while at school. Thinking about older kids, they might not want to participate in music class because they are being forced to by the district. This is why I would need to think about their 'learning and motivation' (p. 14). This might be simply us talking about the latest singer and learning to play one of their songs. This could mean learning a guitar instead of a piano. This could also mean having my students learn about different concepts online because of the digital age we are in.

During my full-time job, I work with students with special needs. Some of our students can read and others cannot. With some students, we have to help them write. We have meetings every other Wednesday. During these meetings we discuss a specific student and in what ways we can help them. Sometimes there are times where a student could do something by themself and a teacher adds up helping the student because the teacher does not realize. There have been times where I thought a student could not use scissors and they could. The case managers every day and observing their students. Every day they are coming up with new ways for their students to learn. The first step they take students freshmen year is understanding their development. They try to understand the way their students on their caseload works. They see if it is more to do with physically not being able to do a task or is it mental. They then take the next step to try and help their students learn. They try to use theories or come up with their own plan. They take data every single day and so where the student is falling behind or where the student is succeeding. They see if they are improving on a task and see what changes do need to be made for them to understand the task.

Another concept that was talked about was the Sociocultural theory with cognitive development. This theory "Emphasizes role in development of cooperative dialogues between children and more knowledgable members of society" (p. 57). Most of my future students will learn about their culture through their families. Their parents are their first teachers. They first learn about what behaviors are expected by them. Coming to school is a different culture they will have to learn.  As a teacher in a classroom, it will be important for me to teach my students about what they will need to understand their culture. That will be one item I am going to have to learn about teaching. Teaching my students what is right and wrong. What you should say and should not say. How they should behave and not behave is going to be important as a teacher. They will need to know this before they move to the next grade because if they do not they might fall behind in their development. That is why it will be important for me to teach them the way of society. It could also simply be talking to their parents and asking them what they are teaching their students at home so I can be on the same page as them. Having some kind of interaction with my students will be very important. It will be important for me to talk to my students. For them to even be able to think by themselves, it will start with me teaching them this skill.

Going back to my job, we interact with our students all the time. I know this is an obvious statement but there have been times where one of my students is in a general education classroom and the teacher just ignores them. For my students especially, they are still learning about the culture they live in. They are still learning how to problem solve and how they do have a choice. How there are somethings they do they need to be able to do for themselves. The main reason for them not being able to understand this is because people have been helping them do a task for so long. We teach them what words are fine for them to say and what words they should not say. How they should not hug strangers. They are still learning what is expected in their society. They are still learning "the culture of their community (ways of thinking and behaving)"(p. 57). They are still trying to understand the interactions they can have with people. What is appropriate at home and what is appropriate at school. The case managers work with the student's parents. They, together, come up with a plan to teach the students about the culture around them. To teach them about the right and wrongs of society.

In chapter three, Woolfolk talks about social context development (p. 80). When I do become a teacher someday, I know I will have students who have divorced parents. My students might have an eating disorder, or have an issue with a peer. The parents who I talk to might be an authoritative parent authoritarian parent, permissive parent, or a rejecting parent (p. 83),  I might have to deal with a parent who 'love their children and are trying to do their best' (p. 83). I could have an indulgent parent and reject, which 'can be harmful' (p. 83) to my students. I might have the popular kid in my class or the student who is seen as the reject in my class (p. 88-89). As a teacher, I will have to figure out a strategy or plan for my students so they always feel welcomed in my class no matter their home situation or what is happening with their peers. This could be a simple get to know my students: understand what they like, what activities do they do, and what kind of pets they have at home. As a teacher, I will check on my students continuously. I never know what is happening in your student's life. Talking to them and getting to know them will help them have the welcoming feeling the might not get when they walk out of the classroom. I never really thought about the fact there might come a time where I might need to get a student help because of an eating disorder. I have never known someone to have an eating disorder before.

I would say my mom was an authoritative parent. An authoritative parent, "[...] listen to concerns, give reasons for rules, forgive mistakes, and allow more democratic decision making" (p. 83). My mom taught as rules in a way that made us think about them. We would learn by either a board game or a story. She would then explain the reason she had these rules was to protect us. To protect who we are and protect us physically. She always forgave us when we made a mistake, especially when I was younger and still learning that mistakes were fine to make. When it came to decision making, she just wanted us to learn we could make a decision. When we get older she will not always be there to teach us what to do. We had to learn this skill right now. We could pick our favorite ice cream, or what movie we wanted to watch that night.

I do not really talk to the parents of my students. The case managers usually do. They do have a lot of different parents they have to communicate with. Some parents work or stay at home. Some parents are very friendly and understanding. Some believe their child is the only child we work with on a daily bases. Some parents have really strict instructions, and some do not. It all does depend on who the student is and who the parent is. I know during my teaching career. I will have these different kinds of parents. I know I will have to learn how to communicate with each one of them. I also know I might get one or two who do not agree with the way I teach.

All the general education students who talk to my students are kind. The advocate for them when need be. It makes me, as a TA, feel like I do not need to be near my students during PE all the time. There are some students that I do need to stand by in case they decide to run, but other than that all the peers are kind to them. I never really see that much drama with peers who have friends within the class. I do see what Woolfolk means by 'friendships is not always positive" (p. 88). I just never really see this negative with anyone I have ever interacted with.